Heat accumulator



Jan. 1, 1952 Filed Aug. 1, 1947 A. ESCHER HEAT ACCUMULATOR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 IN V EN TOR.

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Jan. 1, 1952 1 2,580,534

' HEAT ACCUMULATOR Filed Aug. 1, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 F/GUZ;

IN VEN TOR.

dnmgm Vgi Patented Jan. 1, 1952 OFFICE 2,580,534 HEAT AQCUMULATOR AnnaEsehenThe Hague, Netherlands Application August 1, 1947, Serial No. 765,544

ImtheNetherlands May 9, 1945 Section 1, Eublic Law 690, August8, 19.46

" l f'a t entj expires May 9, 1965 The, invention relates, to a heat accumulator which serves to store. and to retain temporarily the heat developed'by' one or more sources'of heat in. order to be able to. deliver or withdrawit at any desired moment.

This result is obtained bytheheatfaccumulator according to the invention by" the factthat it comprises at least one source of heat, at least one device or place fortaking off heat, and a heat holding mass or body provided with passages through which a fluid' heated by the-source of heat flows by thsrrnosyphon" actiohfoptionally increased or intensified by positively" driven means. I

As a source of heat any arbitrarytype of furnace may be used, but it is also possible-{for example, to use a source of heatwhich involves one or-more channels through which combustion gases or other hot gases or fluids are caused to flow. The device for withdrawing the heatmaycoinprise a boiler, a superheat'er, an economi'ser, furnace means, cooking pans, etc.

A special advantage of the heat accumulator according to the invention is "that the'theat may be withdrawn from it at: any desired moment and in any desired way. Hence, it may. be used for various purposes, and furthermore itiisparticularr 1y suitable to supply the: larger; quantityof heat required at peak hours, without it. being. necessary then. for the source of heat. at. that moment to furnish a larger, quantity? of heat, with. theyresult that the source of heat may keep-functioning in anqeconomical way. The larger. quantity: of heat to begiven off to thedevice orrplacefor withdraw ing, itis then obtainediby making the fluid in. the heat accumulator circulate more, rapidly which may be efiected by further opening one or-anum ber of valves.

The heat holding mass. or. body. proyidedwith passages may consist of. any arbitrary. material which can absorbanddeliver. heat, tor example, stone, ,metal, etc. Aslpassages in theheat holding, body or. mass, channels, may be; used such a number and to such extent-that themass is rid dled. However, largerspacesmay also bedlsposed inthementioned body or mass. Inany case it will lie-arranged. that the; fluid. meets with as. small a resistance; as possible when: it flows through theheat accumulator. The passages. on. channels may be. providedin asixnple mannenby composing the. mass of stones or: blocks which are. stacked with interspaces so that. perforate. walls; are termed; Said wallsyma y also comprise .cast,plates which are; formed with. holeaor. channels. 1 preferred e d ent he neat accum ate according to the invention, the walls or plates are placed in such position that they run parallel to. the flow'of the fluid caused by the thermosyphon action. The holes or channels in the walls or plates may be disposed somewhat inclined according to the invention whereby the fluid flows therethrough more easily on heating.

According to the invention the source of heat may be separated" from the passage riddled mass or body in such manner that the same fluid constantly flows and is at least partly recirculated in thepassages of said mass. The source of heat, however, mayalsobe inopen communication with the perforate bodyor mass'whereby part of a heat transmitting fluid in the latter will be replaced each time by a quantity of fluid thus from the source of heat, so that the fluid flows several times through the passages in the heat holding body or mass and is progressively discharged from said passages, for example to a chimney;

According to the invention one or a number of adjustable or selfadjusting controlmembers are preferably disposed in the connection between the source of heat and the mentioned body or mass. Thus, the number of times that the same quantity of fluid circulates in the body or mass may be controlled; and it is also possible to close one or more control-membersso that in certain sections of the heat accumulator a renewal of the fluid does not occur;

According to theinventi'on the distance between the. control members may decrease in a furnace towards the back, and/or the size of said control members may alsoincrease rearwardly; Thus, not only may the temperature of the furnace be con.- trolled, but at. the same time the length of the furnace may be adjusted.

A preferred embodiment. of the heat accumulator. according: to, thefinvention is. characterized in that the perforate heat holding body or mass is divided into compartments by one or: a number of. closed walls or. plates. Thismakes it possible to cause fluidsof various temperatures to circulate in the'various compartmentsso that the. hottest portions ofthe source of heat impart their heat tocompa-rtments in which the fluid has a higher temperature thanv in compartments which are heated by a colder portion of the source of. heat. Some compartments may also be in open. com.- munication with the source: of heat, while other compartments are" not.

According to the invention thedevices for withdrawing heat may be. housed in'separate compartmentaproviding the advantage that said devices maybe, put into action, in part; so that noportions are-heated unnecessarily.

Figure 2 is a section along the line IIII of Figure 1.

The heat accumulator represented in the drawing comprises a longitudinal fire box type furnace I disposed in a space which is filled with a heat holding body or mass for absorbing and delivering heat. Said body or mass is formed in this accumulator by walls composed of stones with interspaces or by spaced plates 2 provided with holes or channels. The walls or plates run parallel to the flow of the fluid caused by the thermosyphon action. The holes in the walls or plates 2 are preferably disposed in somewhat inclined positions with respect to the horizon.

The wall of the furnace has a first and a second longitudinal zone and is provided in said second zone with a number of openings which are equipped with valves 3 which may be opened p.

the valves decreases towards the back. Below the furnace there is a conveyor 4 for the ash arranged in a channel 4'a which latter is provided with transversally extending partition walls 419.

The space filled with the mass taking up and giving oil heat is covered by an insulating wall 5 which is provided at the upper edge with an aperture 8 which may be closed with a valve 1 when no heat is taken off. In order to obtain a rate of flow of the fluid which is as uniform as possible in all the passages and portions of the passages, a recess [6 is disposed in the body or mass 2 in the neighbourhood of the aperture 6. As the air or the gas in the accumulator is heated by the furnace I it will move upwards. valves IE or the the valve 1 are, or is closed, said heated air cannot move into the channel 9, so that it will move downwards through holes provided in a colder part of the accumulator towards the furnace l, where it is again heated. As the accumulator shown in Figure 1 is symmetrical, the gases Will circulate in each half of the accumulator. It is, however, of no importance to obtain a perfectly symmetrical gas circulation.

The whole accumulator is surrounded by an outer wall 8 in such a way that between the wall 5 and said outer wall 8 a channel 9 is provided. In said channel a tube boiler l0, a superheater II, a second tube boiler l2 and an economiser [3 are disposed. The economiser, however, may also be placed in the chimney I4, and then hot water may be stored.

In the channel 9 there is arranged a valve I5 with which the speed of circulation of the fluid may be controlled.

The above-described device works as follows:

When the fire in the fire box 1 is started the fluid medium in the structure surrounding the fire box will be caused to circulate. Such fluid If the medium will be constituted by the air filling the spaces in the heat accumulator 2. In the rear part of the furnace where the openings 3 are located the fluid medium will be formed also by the combustion gases when the valves for the openings are open.

When the opening I6 is closed by the closure member 1 the air or combustion gas or mixture thereof will circulate in a closed circle in each half of the heat accumulator as indicated in the left hand section by the arrow A. As soon as the closure member I is lifted, the circulation will take place not only through the heat accumulator, but also through the surrounding passage 9 as indicated by the dotted line arrow B.

In addition, in the rear portion of the furnace where communication is provided between the fire box and the heat accumulator by means of the adjustable openings 3, the hot combustion gases will enter the heat accumulator and will displace part of the air and gases therefrom into the chimney M as indicated by the arrow C. The speed of circulation may be controlled by the valve IS. The furnace I keeps giving off its heat to the heat holding body mass, and according to the magnitude of the speed of the fluid in the channel 9 the first described circulation will become more rapid or slower.

During the functioning of the furnace the valves 3 may be opened more or less. Thereby combustion gases will flow into the passages so that part of the fluid after circulating several times through the heat accumulator will escape into the atmosphere via the chimney I4.

I claim:

1. A furnace assembly, including the combina tion of a wall forming a longitudinal fire box having a first and a second longitudinal zone therein; a heat accumulator disposed adjacent to said fire box and provided with a plurality of channels formed in said heat accumulator; said wall having openings in said second zone of said fire box for providing a communication between said second zone of said fire box and the adioining channels of said heat accumulator; wall means'forming an outer furnace shell, spaced from said heat accumulator so as to form an intermediate passage encircling the major part of said heat accumulator; an insulating cover ing disposed on the exterior of said heat accu mulator; container means for the fluid to be heated located in said intermediate passage; the insulating covering having top and bottom openings adjacent the top portion and bottom portion of said heat accumulator; and operative closure means for closing at least one of said openings so that the heated fluid circulates by thermosiphon action through the channels of said heat accumulator in closed position of said closure means and circulates ,by'thermosiphon action through said channels of said heat accumulator and through said intermediate passage in open position of said closure means.

2. A furnace assembly including the combination of a wall forming a longitudinal fire box having a first and a second longitudinal zone therein; a heat accumulator disposed adjacent to said fire box and provided with a plurality of channels formed in said heat accumulator; said wall having openings in said second zone of said fire box and theadjoining channels of said heat accumulator; valve means for controlling said openings; wall means forming an outer furnace fihe spa ed from said heal; accumulator so as the heated fluid circulates by thermosiphon action through the'channels of said heat accumulator in closed position of said closure means and circulates by thermosiphon action through said channels of said heat accumulator and through said intermediate passage in open position said closure means.

8. A furnace assembly, comprisin in combination, a longitudinally extending wall forming an elongated fire box; a source of heat located within said wall at one end of said fire box; a heat accumulator located adjacent to said fire box and provided with a plurality of channels, a portion of said wall spaced from said source of heat being formed with openings for providing a communication between said fire box and the adjoining channels of said heat accumulator, the spacing of said openings decreasing in a direction towards the other end of said fire box; valve means for controlling said openings in said portion of said wall; wall means forming an outer furnace shell spaced from said heat accumulator so as to form an intermediate passage encircling at least part of said heat accumulator; a covering disposed on the exterior of said heat accumulator having openings adjacent to the top and bottom portions of said heat accumulator, at least one opening communicating with said intermediate passage; container means for the fluid to be heated located in said intermediate passage; and operable closure means for closing at least one of said openings so that the heated fluid circulates by thermosiphon action through the channels of said heat accumulator in closed position of said closure means and circulates by thermosiphon action through channels of said heat accumulator and through said intermediate passage in open 'position said 010- sure means.

9. A furnace assembly, comprising in combination, a longitudinally extending Wall forming an elongated fire box; a source of heat located Within said wall at one end of said fire box; a heat accumulator located adjacent to said fire box and provided with a plurality of channels, said heat accumulator body including a plurality of transversely extending members definin a plurality of transversely extending compartments,

said .wall being formed with openings for providing a communication between saidfire box and the adjoining compartments of said heat accumulator; wall means forming an outer furnace shell spaced from said heat accumulator so as to form an intermediate passage encircling at least part of said heat accumulator; a covering disposed on the exterior of said heat accumulator having openings adjacent to the top and bottom portions of said heat accumulator, at least one openin communicating with said intermediate passage; container means for the fluid to be heated located in said intermediate passage; and operable closure means for closin at least one of said openings so that the heated fluid circulates by thermosiphon action through the channels of said heat accumulator in closed position of said closure means and circulates by thermosiphon action through said channels of said heat accumulator and through said intermediate passage in open position said closure means.

ANNE ESCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 549,664 Yaryan Nov. 12, 1895 1,229,320 Peckham June 12, 1917 1,366,215 Ruths Jan. 18, 1921 1,715,160 Cornner et al May 28, 1929 1,739,973 Mambourg Dec. 17, 1929 1,743,621 Quinn Jan. 14, 1930 1,894,246 Stein et a1 Jan. 10, 1933 2,079,191 Thomas May 4, 1937 2,086,812 Luty July 13, 1937 2,183,184 Byrne Dec. 12, 1939 2,184,224 Lucke Dec. 19, 1939 2,201,239 Margolis May 21, 1940 2,264,294 Byrne Dec. 2, 1941 2,294,579 Sherman Sept. 1, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain 1 Nov. 20, 1924 

